International Railroad Discussion > Fepasa Chile Alcos, SDL39s, a new bridge and more

Returning from the US usually means I have new slides,  as was the case when I arrived here Saturday morning.  Most of the following images are from the greater Concepcion area.  Here is the domain of Fepasa's eleven Alco RSD20s, nine SDL39s, and their only SW1200M.  These units are mostly used on timber/cellulose trains south to Temuco on the mainline and to Arauco on a branch that runs along the Pacific ocean through 12 tunnels and on beaches.  Mostly inaccesable but I've considered hiring a boat and chasing from the sea.  Problem is train scheduling but with Transap joining in the fun,  traffic will increase.  Time will tell.

But it all starts at the top end of Talcahuano yard between 8 and 10 am daily.  Here various jobs start out and there's a bit of action,  as well as EFE commuter EMUs to Concepcion.  The following five images show this;  while the sixth photo is of Alco 1808E as it passes a municipal park in Talcahuano.  Photos taken Nov 19-20, 2025

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More Talcahuano, same dates

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The new bridge over the Rio Bio Bio at Concepction is finally in full operation.  A mile long, it replaces a 100+ year old bridge that was damaged in the February 2020 8.8 earthquake.  It was repaired fairly quickly but it was realized that a modern double track bridge needed to be built.  No more slow orders.

1.  Fepasa 1805W on the new bridge.  Not so good for train photos though.  Nov 18, 2025
2.  Old and new bridges.  Nov 19, 2025
3.  Alco RSD20s at Coronel,  Nov 18, 2025



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/26 01:07 by masterphots.

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Here are a couple of EFE trains taken around New Year.

1.  EFE 202 leaving Laja for Concepcion.  Dec 29,2025.  The memorial in the lower right corner is for a pedestrian that was killed by a passing train.   The crossing is a marked pedestrian crossing so who knows what happened.
2.  EFE 7122, a French B&L road switcher heads the Rancagua to San Antonio vintage train at Paine on January 10, 2026.  When one of the shovel noses is not feeling like working,  EFE will put one of these units on the train.
       In the photo, it's leaving the mainline to enter the 7-mile connection to the Santiago-San Antonio mainline.  The next time this train runs,  I'll be there, hoping both shovels are on the point.

With that, it's a wrap.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/28/26 01:04 by masterphots.

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Interesting series, Alan.  Thanks!

I checked out the route to Arauco along the coast on Google Maps and you're right,  you will need a boat... or maybe a drone?   
'Dunno about that new Rio Bio Bio bridge at Conception.  Given the ample support of the concrete bridge pilings and piers, I assume that the triangular metal appendages are simply decorative?  'Not too photogenic.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

E25 Wrote:
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> Interesting series, Alan.  Thanks!
>
> I checked out the route to Arauco along the coast
> on Google Maps and you're right,  you will need a
> boat... or maybe a drone?   
> 'Dunno about that new Rio Bio Bio bridge at
> Conception.  Given the ample support of the
> concrete bridge pilings and piers, I assume that
> the triangular metal appendages are simply
> decorative?  'Not too photogenic.

The white structures are to help the bridge survive another mega-earthquake.

Interesting engineering on the earthquake protection devices.

Greg Stadter
Phoenix, AZ

So are those spacer cars between the RSD20's? Are there some bridges that can't handle the concentrated load of two RSD20's coupled together?

MU cars that also spread the weight of the two units

Very nice set of pictures. The old GM got new life in Chile like they did in Brazil too.

Pedro Rezende
Vespasiano MG,
https://youtube.com/c/minasgeraisrailways1